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ONTARIO HITS HIGH GEAR WITH OPERATOR TRAINING SCHOOL

A HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS TRAINING SCHOOL IS A CO- OPERATIVE VENTURE BETWEEN THE ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE ONTARIO ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATION. THE ORBA HAS PROVIDED NEARLY $1 MILLION AND A 200-ACRE SITE FOR THE SCHOOL, LOCATED NEAR GEORGETOWN ABOUT 28 MILES NORTHWEST OF METROPOLITAN TORONTO, WHILE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS UNDERTAKEN TO OPERATE IT AS A BRANCH OF THE PROVINCIAL INSTITUTE OF TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS. IN ADDITION, NUMEROUS AGENCIES AND ASSOCIATIONS ARE PARTICIPATING IN SUPPLYING TRAINING AIDS, SPEAKERS AND EQUIPMENT. ABOUT $800,000 WORTH OF MACHINES HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO COURSE INSTRUCTORS BY TORONTO AREA EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTORS. THE SCHOOL IS OPERATING A SERIES OF 10 WEEK COURSES AND EACH COURSE IS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE NINE TO TWELVE STUDENTS. IT IS HOPED THE COURSE WILL PRODUCE OPERATORS WITH A THOROUGH GROUNDING IN THE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL FUNDAMENTALS OF MACHINE OPERATION. ONE EXPERT BELIEVES THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM IS WORTH AT LEAST FOUR YEARS OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE. /CGRA/